Everything Co-op with Vernon Oakes

John Torres, VP of Public Relations and Communication for NCBA CLUSA is interviewed by the host of Everything Co-op, Vernon Oakes on September 27, 2018. John and Vernon discuss NCBA CLUSA's upcoming events: the 2018 Co-op IMPACT Conference and the 2018 Co-op Festival on the National Mall, and the Impact cooperatives have had on the economy. John currently serves as the Vice President of Communicat...

Hnin W. Hnin, Executive Director of Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFED) appeared on Everything Co-op on September 13, 2018, a weekly Nationally broadcast radio show. Vernon and Hnin discussed how CoFED is building the leadership of young people of color at the intersection of food systems change, solidarity and cooperative economics. Hnin W. Hnin is a storyweaver, educator, and facilita...

Cecile Green, co-founder of Round Sky Solutions, and Communications Wizard, Rebecca Fisher-McGinty discuss how the implementation of a collaborative organizational process can impact an organization. Cecile Green, co-founder of Round Sky Solutions, is a visionary, entrepreneur, experiential philosopher, and farmer with a passion for assisting mission driven organizations achieve their visions. As...

Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op, and Dr. Sutton discuss her research on "Cooperative Cities," and proven strategies to educate legislators on the potential impact of cooperatives on economic development. Stacey Sutton is Assistant Professor of Urban Planning and Policy in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA) at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on...

Helen Rosenthal, Council Member for the 6th District of the New York City Council appears on Everything Co-op on October 11, 2018. Vernon and Ms. Rosenthal will her advocacy in support of worker cooperatives on the New York City Council, and the steps that were taken to ensure that legislation that was passed was enforced. Helen Rosenthal represents New York City's 6th Council District, encompassi...

Co-op Festival

Steve Dubb, senior editor at The Nonprofit Quarterly, (NPQ) by Everything Co-op

Members and Affiliates of The Federation of Southern Cooperatives and the 51st Anniversary Meeting by Everything Co-op

This Broadcast of Everything Co-op, a National weekly show, features interviews from the first "On the Road" interviews recorded at National Cooperative Bank's recent Board meeting, which was held at the flagship REI store in Seattle, Washington. Vernon joined Chuck Snyder, NCB President, Martin Lowery, NCB Board Chair, and a host of Board members for the organization's Board Meeting. NCB has spon...

Vernon Oakes takes the show on the road to the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund's 51st Annual Meeting. Vernon interviews Cornelius Blanding, Executive Director of the Federation, and Bruce Harold. Vernon and his guests discuss initiatives and accomplishments of the organization, initiatives that have been spearheaded by the federation to help its members, and the contributi...

Vernon Oakes and John Holdsclaw honor the memory of Ralph Paige, with many listeners, who call into the Everything Co-op to pay tribute to this tireless Civil Rights leader. Mr. Paige was the former director of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives. He was a consummate advocate for disenfranchised farmers, worked tirelessly to keep families and farmers on their land, and constantly promoted a mo...

Malik Kenyatta Yakini, Director, Detroit Peoples Black Community Food Security Network is interviewed by Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op. Vernon and Malik discuss initiatives of the Detroit Peoples Food Co-op, and the journey his organization has taken to establish a food cooperative, while raising funds to purchase the building for the co-op and serving as the developer for the building Ma...

Stuart Reid, Executive Director of Food Co-op Initiative (FCI), appears on Everything Co-op. Vernon and Stuart discuss how FCI works with communities to establish food Cooperatives in diverse neighborhoods, and other programs and initiative spearheaded by FCI. Stuart Reid has been working in the grocery business for more than 40 years, and has been part of FCI since its earliest years. He began hi...

Gary Pittsford, CFP®, President of Castle Wealth Advisors, appears on Everything Co-op. Vernon and Gary discuss succession planning, the transition from individual ownership to worker owned businesses, and the world of purchasing co-ops. Castle Wealth Advisors is a private wealth management firm based in Indianapolis, IN. For 45 years, Gary has worked with hundreds of family business owners in all...

Vernon Interview Roger Green, one of the key organizers of "The Coalition to Transform Interfaith," formerly know at the "Save Interfaith Coalition." The Coalition's work has resulted in a multi-hospital network in underserved communities self-transforming into worker and union cooperative facilitating, regenerative institutions. It has been predicted that the Vital Brooklyn movement will bequeath...

Sheella Mierson, a founding member of The Sociocracy Consulting Group is interviewed by host of Everything Co-op, Vernon Oakes. Vernon and Sheella discuss sociocracy, a whole systems approach to collaborative decision-making, and how it creates more inclusive and effective organizations, where no voice can be ignored. Sheella specializes in helping companies and organizations unleash their creativ...

Marla Bilonick, Executive Director; and Karina Mendoza, Small Business Coach, of the Latino Economic Development Center, (LEDC), appear on Everything Co-op. Vernon, Marla and Karina discuss how LEDC's programs comport with the cooperative business model. They also discuss how the Center works cooperatively within their communities to help Latinas and other underserved populations build wealth.

Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op shares a commentary on Cooperative events and conferences that occurred during the week of the 2018 Cooperative Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony. He also discusses the cooperative principles and values. Vernon Oakes is President of Oakes Management Inc. As President, he has renovated and managed his own properties, and those owned by other entities since 1985. Ve...

On May 17, 2018, Vernon Oakes, host of Everything Co-op interviews Rudy Hanley, retired President and CEO of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, and 2018 inductee to the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Vernon and Rudy discuss how he became involved in the cooperative movement, and how credit unions can impact communities. Mr. Hanley began his illustrious co-op career as an attorney for the Credit Union N...

In honor of Paul Bradley’s Inductee into the 2018 Cooperative Hall of Fame, five of ROC USA’s Association Directors appeared on Everything Co-op on May 3, 2018. Lois Parris, Colleen Preston, Natividad Seefeld, Kim Capen and Lorie Cahill discussed how programs and projects implemented by ROC USA have impacted their manufactured communities. They also discussed the value, importance and difference t...

During March Everything Co-op celebrates Women's History Month by focusing on the theme selected by the National Women's History Project. The theme for 2018 is, "Nevertheless She Persisted: Honoring Women Who Fight For All Forms of Discrimination Against Women." This week Vernon honors Carla Decker, President/CEO of DC Federal Credit Union. Carla Decker joined District Government Employees (DC) Fe...

Vernon interviews Rosemary Mahoney, Principal of Mahoney Consulting, LLC, and 2018 inductee to the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Vernon and Rosemary will discuss best practices in cooperative development, and her 30-year career as a co-op developer. Ms. Mahoney is Principal of Mahoney Consulting, LLC, where she works as an independent consultant on cooperative development and community projects. She i...

​Vernon Interviews Marilyn, Retired Manager of CDS Consulting. Vernon and Marilyn discuss best practices for forming co-ops, CoMetrics, the Co-op Management Institute, her experience as a cooperator, and her upcoming induction into the Cooperative Hall of Fame. Marilyn Scholl has played a prominent leadership role in nearly every major development in the U.S. food co-op sector since she took her f...

Christina Jennings has worked in community development finance and microfinance in the US and internationally for twenty years. Since 2008, Christina has been Executive Director of Shared Capital Cooperative, a national CDFI loan fund that works to build a democratic economy by investing in cooperative businesses and housing. Based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Shared Capital was founded 40 years ago a...

Frankie Harris, Member of Ujamaa Collective, is Interviewed by Everything Co-op Host, Vernon Oakes by Everything Co-op